The St. John's Basilica

The St. John's Basilica was built in 1924 after the Waterstaats Church that stood here was demolished. The architect was W. ter Riele. The laying of the foundation stone took place on May 13, 1924, by Pastor Hendriks. On October 28, 1925, the church was consecrated by Mgr. Van de Wetering, Archbishop of Utrecht. On Sunday, December 13, 1925, the basilica was ceremonially brought into use. On June 24 (St. John's Day) 1937, Pope Pius XI elevated the church of John the Baptist to a Minor Basilica, partly because of the significance of the St. John's Procession. In the church, we find, among other things, beautiful Stations of the Cross, painted by Pieter Cornelis de Moor (1866-1953) between 1923 and 1928. Upon entering, we immediately see the bronze statue of John the Baptist, designed by Leo Brom in 1933.

The St. John's Basilica also annually commemorates the "Faro Disaster." On December 21, 1992, a Martinair DC-10, the Anthony Ruys, crashed at Faro Airport in Portugal. In that crash, 57 people lost their lives, and 106 people were seriously injured. During the commemoration, 57 candles are placed around the altar. The memorial can be found on the left side at the back of the church.

On the Sunday on or near June 24, the traditional St. John's Procession takes place in Laren. The procession departs from the St. John's Basilica and proceeds through the village, adorned with honor gates, to the St. John's Cemetery. It is a centuries-old tradition and the only procession above the major rivers that takes place on public roads.

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